Frequently Asked Questions About Stomach Cancer
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about stomach cancer.
Q: What is stomach cancer?
A: Stomach cancer is when cancer cells begin growing in the stomach. The cancer cells are found in the inner layer of the stomach's lining. Because stomach cancer usually does not cause early symptoms, doctors do not do routine screening in the United States. Stomach cancer is often diagnosed in its later stages. This makes it harder to cure. Stomach cancer is not very common in the United States. In fact, it is becoming even more rare as methods of preparing and preserving food continue to improve. Stomach ulcers, which are very common, are not the same as stomach cancer.
Q: Who develops stomach cancer?
A: It is found mostly in people in their 60s and 70s. Men get stomach cancer twice as often as women. The disease is more common in blacks than in whites. Also, stomach cancer is more common in some parts of the world, such as Japan, Korea, parts of Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
Q: What are the risk factors?
A: Certain factors may make one person more likely to get stomach cancer than another person. These are called risk factors. But just because a person has one or more risk factors does not mean that person will get stomach cancer. In fact, a person can have all of the risk factors and not get the disease. Or, a person can have no known risk factors and still get stomach cancer.
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Diet. People who eat a lot of certain foods are at greater risk of getting stomach cancer. These include foods that are smoked or not properly refrigerated, fish and meats that are very salty, high-starch and low-fiber foods, and vegetables that are pickled.
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Pernicious anemia or Menetrier's disease. People with pernicious anemia do not produce any hydrochloric acid, which may increase the risk for stomach cancer. It is a severe type of anemia that causes weakness and gastrointestinal symptoms, among other problems. Either of these conditions may increase the risk.
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Family history. People who have several first-degree relatives (mother, father, sister, brother) who have had stomach cancer are more likely to get it.
Q: What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
A: People with early stomach cancer, meaning it has not spread, do not usually have symptoms or signs of the cancer. But, as the cancer grows, it can cause these symptoms.
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Unexplained weight loss
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Abdominal pain or vague pain just above the belly button area
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Indigestion and vomiting
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Loss of or decrease in appetite
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Weakness or tiredness
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Blood in the vomit or stool
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A feeling of fullness after small meals
A person should see the doctor if they are having any of these symptoms. The symptoms are most often a sign of something other than stomach cancer, but it is important to make sure.
Q: How is stomach cancer diagnosed?
A: To find out the cause of any of the signs or symptoms, a doctor does a careful physical exam and asks about the personal and family medical history. The doctor may also order these tests to make a diagnosis.
Q: How is stomach cancer treated?
A: Treatment depends on the size and spread of the cancer. A person with stomach cancer may have one or more of these treatments.
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Surgery
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Radiation therapy
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Chemotherapy
Q: Should everyone get a second opinion for a diagnosis of stomach cancer?
A: Many people with cancer get a second opinion from another doctor. There are many reasons to get a second opinion. Here are some of those reasons.
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Not feeling comfortable with the treatment decision
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Being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer
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Having several options for how to treat the cancer
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Not being able to see a cancer expert
Q: How can someone get a second opinion?
A: There are many ways to get a second opinion.
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Ask a primary care doctor. Your doctor may be able to suggest a specialist. This may be a surgeon, medical oncologist, or radiation oncologist. Sometimes these doctors work together at cancer centers or hospitals. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion.
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Consult The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists. This book by the American Board of Medical Specialists lists doctors by state. It gives their specialty, background, and training. It is available at most public libraries. You can also view it online at www.abms.org.
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Seek other options. Check with a local medical society, a nearby hospital or medical school, or support group to get names of doctors who can give you a second opinion. Or ask other people who've had cancer for their recommendations.
Q: How much of the stomach is removed in people who have stomach cancer?
A: There are two kinds of surgeries to remove stomach cancer. One kind removes only the portion of the stomach that contains cancer. This is called a partial gastrectomy. The other removes the whole stomach, and is called total gastrectomy. Which type a person gets, or if they get surgery at all, depends on the stage and type of stomach cancer they have.
Q: How does a person eat after surgery for stomach cancer?
A: A person who has surgery for stomach cancer will likely meet with a registered dietitian to discuss what they can and cannot eat during and after treatment.
After a partial gastrectomy, where only part of the stomach is removed, most people will be able to eat much the same way they did before. Although they may have to make some changes to the way they eat.
A person who has had a total gastrectomy has had their whole stomach removed. They still swallow and eat in the same way because their surgeon connects the esophagus to the small intestine. The surgeon may place a small feeding tube, called a jejunostomy (J-tube), into the small intestine at the time of surgery. Nutrition comes through this tube for a while after surgery during recovery. Diet changes are also needed after total gastrectomy. Most people who have their stomachs removed find that they prefer to eat small meals more often, rather than large meals three times a day.
Q: What is new in stomach cancer research?
A: Cancer research should give you hope. Doctors and researchers around the world are learning more about what causes stomach cancer, and are looking for ways to prevent it. They are also finding better ways to detect and treat this disease.
Here's some recent research about prevention and causes of stomach cancer.
Here are some ongoing studies about advances in the treatment of stomach cancer.
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Testing new drugs, such as Taxol (paclitaxel), UFT, a new form of 5-fluorouracil, and new drug combinations as well as new forms of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is given directly into the abdomen
Q: What are clinical trials?
A: Clinical trials are studies of new kinds of cancer treatments. Doctors run clinical trials to learn how well new treatments work and what their side effects are. Promising treatments are ones that work better or have fewer side effects than the current treatments. People who join these studies get to use treatments before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves them for the public. People in trials also help researchers learn more about cancer and help future cancer patients.